Chapter Seven: Happy Volts and Doctor Who

She stood outside the gates staring in. She was starting to think this was a bad idea. 'No,' she thought, 'I've come this far I'm not turning back now.' She crossed over to the door on her right and waited for the orderly to notice.

"Can I help you," he asked continuing to read his newspaper.

"I'm here to visit a friend."

The orderly looked up, moving his eyes up and down her body before shrugging and unlocking the door. She made her way in slowly, still unsure of her actions. When she finally made it to the front door she decided there was no turning back.

She opened the door and peaked inside. "You coming in honey who are you gonna stand there and let all the cold air in?" The older woman behind the desk stared at her angrily. Hannah thought it best not to upset her more.

"I'm here to visit someone," Hannah responded closing the door and move up to the counter.

"Sign in, your name and there's." Hannah did as she was told. The older woman watched over her, drumming her figures against the desk. "Gary Smith," she said in a confused tone, then she busted out laughing and handed Hannah her guest tag. "Why on earth would you want to see that little weasel?"

"Independent case study," Hannah murmured moving away from the counter and to the doors that opened up into the asylum itself. The older woman called back to another orderly, and then unlocked the doors. "This way little lady," the orderly motioned to her. Hannah followed, her eyes down. Why did she think this was such a good idea?

She followed the orderly into the rec room and into C block. In the very back corner they stopped in front of the door to Gary's cell. She looked up into the room to see the boy lying on his bed. He looked nothing like the yearbook picture she had found of him. His brown hair had grown out; it was now shaggy and covered his eyes. He was skinnier than what had been described; she guessed he wasn't eating much. She felt a bit sorry for the poor guy.

"Smith, visitor," the orderly spat as he unlocked the door. Gary sat up on his elbows to get a better look. As their eyes met she could see how anyone could fall for him. His brown eyes held a since of lost. Even with the angry stare he held in his face his eyes seemed to scream out, looking for someone to understand. The orderly opened the door and Hannah stepped in.

"You're a little young to be a therapist," Gary mocked.

"It's a hobby," Hannah replied nervously.

"Why would anyone want that kind of hobby?"

Hannah shrugged; she had no answer for him. She had always just been interested in what made people tick. "Anyway… I've been asking around Bullworth about you and…"

"Oh that dump," Gary laughed, "How is the place scene I left? Jimmy run the place into the ground?"

"It's fine and I don't hang out with Jimmy… he bugs me."

"So I'm not alone." Gary looked at her with a haunted expretion

"No, you're not… but that's not why I'm here…"

"Who are you anyway," Gary interrupted again, "I don't remember seeing you around."

"I just moved here a couple weeks ago. This is my first year at Bullworth… but I came here to…"

"That explains it then," Gary said making it to his feet. He began to circle her like a buzzard. Looking her up and down as she spoke.

"Yes, now will you please lesion," Hannah asked frustrated by his constant interrupting. Gary just continued to circle. "I came to ask you your side of the story. I want to know what made you want to take over the school."

"Why," Gary stopped in front of her. He sounded a bit annoyed, "I'm sure all those losers at school told you all about me. Bet they say I'm crazy, a psycho. Told you I got better than I deserve for what I did."

"Sociopath acutely and that doesn't really help. It's just to…"

"I'm not crazy," he hissed. "They just couldn't hardly my genius. They're all so dumb, they couldn't understand."

"That's why I'm here Gary, I want to know what makes you tick. Not what everyone else thinks makes you tick."

"Don't question me!"

"I wasn't Gary," Hannah sighed.

"Your just like all the rest. You can't understand. You're just…"

"Shut up," Hannah snapped. She pushed Gary over and shoved him down on the bed. "Do you even know what you talking about?" She turned and grasped the only chair in the room and dragged it over. Spinning it around, she threw a leg over the seat and leaned onto the back off the chair. "Now, start from the beginning."

Gary stared at her unsure what to think. "How about we start with your name."

"Hannah," she smiled, "Hannah Monroe."

Hannah sat up against the end of her bed, her sketchbook in hand, drawing the general concept for Petey's outfit. Beatrice was sitting at the desk, working away on her sawing machine.

"Where the fuck is that work!" Hannah looked up at Ivy who was tossing things out of the closet across from her.

"Ivy calm down, Halloween is still a week away you'll find it."

"It's just irritating. I know I brought it with me just incase."

"Incase what," Beatrice asked.

"I always change my mind a dozen times. Halloween's a big deal to me and I always want to be the most unique costume every year."

"While I doubt that's too hard around here," Hannah teased.

"Where did that come from," Ivy asked turning away from the closet.

Hannah pulled her knees up, burying her face into her sketchbook. She had spent everyday at Happy Volts just talking to Gary and he was starting to rub off on her a bit. But she also felt like she was rubbing off on him.

"Power," he said, "All I every wanted was control."

She sat quietly, letting Gary vent. He seemed calmer today, less jittery.

"I wanted them to see how pathetic they were. How pathetic everything is. I just wanted to shake their world up a little."

Hannah sketched as she thought.

"Nothing wrong with a little world shaking Gary," she assured him. "But you have to know when you've taking it too far ya know?"

"No! My head's all mixed up, I'm sexually confused, and I'm being held against my will this hell hole…"

'He really doesn't know what he's saying,' Hannah thought.

She smiled, looking at the concept for Petey's costume. Then she heard a familiar theme. "A little birdy told me you've never seen Doctor Who Ivy," Beatrice said starting up the show on her portable dvd player.

"Let me guess, you two are going to make me watch it now."

"Yes," Hannah and Beatrice said together.

The three girls laughed, turning back to there work. Hannah couldn't help but think how good Petey would look if they let him dress him up.

Hannah walked over to the school fountain. She was humming the Doctor Who theme hoping she would run into Johnny while she waited for Ivy.

"Miss. Monroe," she heard a voice call from behind her. The fake British accent came from one of the preps. He wasn't much taller than her and had auburn hair.

"H-hello," Hannah stuttered.

"My name is Tad Spencer," he said holding out his hand. Hannah wasn't so sure about him. She hadn't really hung out with the preps and she had a strange feeling about this one. "What's wrong?"

"Are you really British or…"

"No honey his just gay," Ivy finished her sentence as she walked over to them.

"Ivy," Hannah giggled, "That's not what I was going to ask him."

"Yes well," Tad spoke up clearing his through. "I just wanted to wish you luck… with Johnny. You see the more you warm up to him the more Lola spends time with me."

"Well aren't you sweet," Ivy taunted as she led Hannah away. "Don't lesion to him girl. He really is just trying to hide who her really is."

"Oh Ivy," Hannah whined.

"Hey Hannah wait up," She froze has his voice washed over her.

"What up Johnny," Ivy asked as Hannah turned slowly around.

"Can I talk with Hannah for a sec?"

"Sure," Ivy winked as she walked away.

Hannah looked down, "Sooooooo what's up?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out sometime?"

Hannah blushed at the thought of her alone with her Danny.